On this episode of Mind Body Beauty, we talk about the misconceptions around sun exposure and Vitamin D with sun worshipper Dr Anastasia Boulais from the Ancestral Health Society of NZ and Whole 9 South Pacific.

Anastasia is a Russian-born, Australian-trained medical doctor, now living in NZ and working in a busy acute care medical clinic. She has a keen interest in evolutionary medicine and is a founding member of the AHSNZ with a commitment to education around an ancestral diet and lifestyle. Anastasia also loves to lift heavy things and get out and about exploring NZ on foot and on her mountain bike.

I’ve invited Anastasia on today to share her research and her thoughts around the misconceptions around sun exposure and vitamin D …because there’s a growing body of evidence that suggests that our overuse of sunscreen and our habits of staying out of the sun may be doing our health more harm than good.

Anastasia disagrees with the campaign message “There’s no such thing as a safe tan,” scientific research shows the opposite to be true

The different types of sun exposure: chronic vs intermittent (on the weekends for example)

Intermittent exposure has a role to play in melanoma in the context of the factors

Slow, chronic, careful sun exposure is protective

People that work outdoors have a lower incidence of melanoma vs people that work indoors

The two main types of sunlight UVA (longer wavelength) and UVB (shorter wavelength)

UVA is for aging, it penetrates deeper into skin, causes redness and a tan that doesn’t last very long. UVA oxidises melanin precursors in skin cells, essentially causing them to go “rusty” and this is how it produces a tan. Oxidation can also cause DNA damage.

UVB is for burning, it does not penetrate skin as much, it burns faster but builds a longer lasting tan. UVB acts on skin cells to make them produce more melanin by changing DNA structure, potentially one of the drivers for cancer

Which is more responsible for skin cancer? UVA or UVB

SPF is a measure of how much UVB it blocks, concern used to be all about UVB exposure

Research suggests that the majority of damage to cells is really caused by UVA exposure

What behaviours expose us more to damaging UVA wavelengths of sunlight?

Going out in the sun in the afternoon rather than midday, using sunbeds, using SPF sunscreens, getting sun exposure through glass windows

Crystal Fieldhouse

Crystal Fieldhouse is a podcaster, mindfulness leader and real food advocate with sensitive skin and a history of acne and dermatitis.
She is the creator of natural skincare brand, Ecology Skincare and author of the eBook “Natural Skin Care Secrets for Women with Sensitive Skin.”
Crystal’s simple formulations and advice take customers from red and irritated to glowing and delighted.
She is the co-host of the popular podcast, The Primal Shift and her new podcast Mind Body Beauty.